


Cracked Jewels

by FacelessBee



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Addams Family Humor, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Illegal Activities, Organized Crime, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2019-07-02 03:51:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15788373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FacelessBee/pseuds/FacelessBee
Summary: She is a thief and a liar. Living a life that is not hers, Setsuna can only try to be worthy of the second chance she was given. Even as she tries to work hard and make sure her mother is safe, the fire in her soul burns with flames hungry to consume her and those around her.A woman is 'reborn' in the body of Sawada Tsunayoshi, and things will drastically diverge from canon. While canon events will happen, this story will have a more exploratory focus on Nana's side of the family and fulfill my need for more transgender fanfictions. Another self-indulgent piece that will be very slow to update and probably be even slower paced.





	1. Prolouge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I shouldn't be starting another fanfiction but this will be even more unpolished than Bitter Fruit and honestly is purely self-indulgent as I have both never read nor watched KHR and just kinda want to put this out in the world.

To say that Sawada Tsunayoshi died at three would be correct, but to say the potential of young Tsunayoshi was snuffed out would be horribly wrong. 

If asked when her birthday is, Sawada Setsuna will respond October fourteenth, and she is not lying, but also not telling the whole truth. 

The best place to start is the beginning, but in Setsuna's case, her beginning started at the end.  
Before Setsuna, she was a nobody, a college drop-out working three part-time jobs just to keep her tiny apartment. No pets, family estranged, no friends, no lovers, nothing more than passing acquaintances to remember her; if they could even recall her as more than a splatter on the asphalt after a drunk driver left her as nothing more than another statistic. Such a life was better left forgotten after the second chance fate granted her.

Tsunayoshi died the day he met his father's boss. The man had naively wished to prevent involving the innocent child in the life of the mafia, and had sealed the toddler's developing Flames, the shock of which normally does not affect a child too deeply; perhaps only making the brain and body develop slower but otherwise leave the child unaffected. This too would have been true for young Tsunayoshi if not for the single factor of fear, Tsuna did not feel fear during his Sealing, but the drifting soul of a dead woman did, and from her fear came the will to live, her Dying Will. This will to live latched onto the flickering Flame of Tsunayoshi who was exhausted and powerless to stop the soul from consuming his sealed Flames and his own consciousness.

A few hours after Timeteo and Iemistu left the Sawada household, the body of a child awakened but the soul residing in the body no longer matched the one born into the container. Once Doe-brown eyes blinked open, a burning citrine replacing the innocent look of the one child.

This is how Setsuna is born, in a burning drive to survive, to live, and become greater than she had once ever been.


	2. Chapter 2

Sawada Nana was not an idiot. Air-head and prone to distraction, yes, but far from stupid in any sense of the word. She knew many didn’t believe the fact, more likely to fall into the trap of thinking that just because she was calm and unconcerned with unimportant things that it made her stupid. What was to point over worrying about events and facts that could not be changed. Her husband didn’t work in construction but he still had a job and sent plenty of money to keep his wife and child comfortable, so there was no reason to concern herself with questioning what her husband did for a living. When he had brought his boss into her house (and it was her house as all her husband had ever done to contribute to this home was provide funds) she had known the man was involved in something that was better left unquestioned. She could remember similar feeling men, the type that casually exuded confidence and power, visiting her mother whenever she had been allowed to observe such meetings. 

Just because she never asked aloud or discussed the strange things that happened in Namimori didn’t mean she never noticed them. The little city was virtually crime free, only petty school gangs and the occasional drunk-driving incident ever disturbed the peace. No city was this idyllic, this peaceful, without interference from something far more powerful. The Hibari clan held some sway, but they were still a small clan, more concerned with controlling the police force than other criminals. Nana knew of the clan's ties to the Triads, but the fact that the Triads still never stepped foot in Namimori told the woman all she needed to know. Whatever was protecting the city was bigger than just the Triads, bigger than the Yakuza, and her husband was involved.

Because Nana knew this, because she wasn’t an idiot and as unobservant as her husband liked to believe, she noticed when her child changed.

The first change was perhaps the most shocking in its suddenness. Her sweet baby’s eyes, innocent doe-eyes the color of melted chocolate were gone. Like a changeling in the night, her son’s eyes had changed into a deep amber, flecked with a fiery citrine and just as sharp. The piercing eyes had stared at Nana, at first in confusion but later in what the woman could only call pity. This look of pity and confusion remained for a week, making Nana concerned for not just her child, but also worried about whatever it was that had caused the change.

The next change was subtler but just as shocking. Her little Tsunayoshi stopped responding to his name. Her baby would respond when it was just the two of them and she was directly talking to her child, but it was as if her son had lost the ability to understand the basic Japanese he had at that point learned. He never responded to his full name after the change but did show some response to being called just Tsuna, as if more familiar with the shortened version of his name rather than his full name. 

While her child was quick to apparently re-learn the Japanese he should have already known, that within itself was a change that Nana should have noticed sooner. It wasn’t that her Tsunayoshi had been stupid, just that he more than content to nap away the days or let Nana read to him as he dozed. Now, it was shocking to not find her child with a children’s book in hand, slowly sounding out and tracing the letters and words in the colorful pages. While her child still enjoyed being read to, Tsuna followed along instead of napping during reading time.

While Nana cooked or cleaned, taking care of house chores that needed to be done, her child would waddle not far behind, asking what was that or this item the woman would be carrying. Curious beyond what the woman could recall her child ever being, absorbing information like a dry sponge tossed into a bucket and overflowing with questions. 

Tsuna no longer flinched when they walked past the neighbor dog, the little chihuahua that had before made her baby shiver and cry was instead ignored by the child. It wasn't that her child was suddenly fearless, in fact, he seemed to be inexplicably terrified of cars which made grocery shopping much more difficult. Other small changes made Nana question where her child had gone to; sudden changes in favorite color, favorite and disliked foods, and even shows. 

The final straw that drove Nana to turn to her family was when her child had asked for dresses and glittering Mary-janes instead of shorts and little orange shoes. She could no longer ignore the changeling that had replaced her child, could no longer make excuses for why her Tsuna was no longer the baby she had loved before he had even been born. Whatever the answer was, Nana knew if anyone could find it then it would be her family. This is what leads the woman to finally breaking the years of silence and calling her family. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Tatsuda residence, Natsumi speaking.”

"Hey big-sis ‘Sumi, been a while huh?”

"… Nana?”

"Yeah, is mother around?”

"She is, but she is in a meeting right now with… I can't tell you, you know this. Why are you calling?"

"I may have a… not an emergency but maybe a bit of a small problem that she may know how to fix.”

"Mother is going to busy for a few hours, is it time sensitive?”

"No, but the sooner I can talk to her, the better.”

"Hmm, you still in Namimori with that… husband of yours?”

"Yes, he is on a business trip right now, but we recently bought a house in a lovely neighborhood.”

"Didn’t ask where he was or what that man was up to, just wanted to know if you were still close. Think you can drag yourself away from your empty house to talk to mother in person, or are you too busy making dinner for one?”

"Please don’t be rude Natsumi. I can make it up in a few hours, but if I do you’ll have to make sure there is a spare futon laid out. I’ll have to stay the night if I make the trip.”

"Why, thought you’d rather just take the train over and stay in a hotel or something.”

"I would, but I have no clue how my baby will respond to the long train ride, and I don’t think hotels are the best place to sleep with a child in tow.”

Shocked silence met Nana's response, which she had expected. The years of estranged silence between the woman and her family wasn't conducive to announcing pregnancies, especially pregnancies involving the man that had led to the estrangement in the first place. 

"I will inform mother of your call, and there will be a spare room ready for when you arrive. We will see you in a few hours.”

Before Nana could response the line dropped. It seemed she had upset big sister Natsumi. Looking at her napping baby Nana couldn’t help the little smile crossing her face; her sister might be shocked and even angry but no one could stay upset once they lay eyes on the cute little bundle of joy.

As if feeling the woman's gaze on it, the child opened its eyes and the smile on Nana's face fell. Those amber eyes reminded her why she had broken the silence, why she needed her families help, and why the baby in the play-pen was not the same child she had fallen in love with. 

Watching chubby limbs rise up and pudgy hands grasp for attention, Nana knelt to pick up the toddler. Even if the child in her arms was not the same one she had given birth to, if she was now the mother of a changeling, Nana was still a mother and would care for the child as best she could.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter after months of no update.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Implied dark humor, implied connections to crime.

Nana polity bowed towards the driver that was sent to pick her and little Tsuna from the station. The child had behaved surprisingly well on the bullet-train, only fussing briefly during the acceleration and slowing of the train. Not that it mattered now as the toddler started brewing up what was sure to be an ear-shattering tantrum.

The driver, clad in a black suit and wearing dark shades with the hint of tattoos peeking from the collar and sleeves of his suit, returned Nana’s bow and moved to take her bags.

“Sawada-san, I am Hanada Koji; Tastuda-sama sent me to drive you and your child to the House. It should not take long, but I was instructed that if you need to stop at any stores on the way there to purchase supplies for Sawada-kun that I would need to call ahead.”

“Oh Koji-san, no need for the formalities, please call me Nana. And I brought everything I need for little Tsuna here so we can just go straight to the House. I should warn you though, Tsuna does not like car rides."

“I will try to get us to the House as quickly as possible then.” The man held the door open for Nana, a booster seat already set-up in the backseat for the toddler. “I can play some music if it helps your child.”

“Hmm, no we'll be fine if you just roll up the partition so Tsuna's crying won't disturb you we should be just fine."

“Of course Sawada-san." With a final bow, the man shut the door and then moved to the driver's side.

Tsunayoshi began wailing as soon as the door was shut, the toddler realizing they were now trapped in the car. Nana hummed at the crying child, pulling out a toy from her tote-bag in the hopes of calming her child. The drive should only be an hour if traffic was good, so she only had to keep Tsuna calm for a little bit.

Even with her practice in calming her child, it was still surprising how difficult it could be to get little Tsuna to focus on something other than being in a car. Still, after about fifteen minutes, the toddler tired themselves out enough that Nana could trust the child not to throw toys.

The rest of the ride was fairly peaceful once her child was calmed, and Nana even had the chance to finish off the novel she had been attempting to read during the train ride. It was a rather thrilling novel, a murder mystery that had a shocking twist ending. A murder-suicide, how romantic, Naoka would love this. Maybe her younger sister would be at the House. It would be wonderful to see the whole family again and to introduce Mother and her sisters to her darling son.

As if knowing she was thinking wistful thoughts, little Tsuna started fussing, pulling Nana from her musing.

“Ah, ah, darling. Did you drop Neko-chin?” Finding that indeed the stuffed cat-thing, apparently a popular cartoon character in Europe, her husband had sent during Tsuna’s last birthday was on the car floor. The woman picked it up and shook it out before handing it back to her fussy child. Only for the toddler to toss the toy back to the car floor with a pout, a precursor to the crying that was sure to follow.

The car began to slow, halting the tears that were already disappearing from Tsuna’s watery brown eyes.

“Nana-san, we have arrived.” Koji opened the door and moved to help Nana form the car, only for the woman to wave him away as she lifted her child from the car seat and slung the heavy looking tote over her shoulder. “I can help carry your luggage if you wish.”

“No need Koji-san, Tsuna gets fussy if others hold him, and the bag is not heavy at all.”

“As you wish then, I shall go inform Tatsuda-sama of your arrival. Do you need a guide to reach the receiving room?”

“No, thank you Koji-san but I think I remember the way. Do you know if Natsumi and Naoka are here?”

“I believe that Natsumi-sama is waiting in the receiving room, but Naoka-sama is currently out of town.”

“Oh, I was hoping to see them both again today, but one if better than neither!”

“As you say, I will take my leave then.”

“Yes, thank you for your service today!”

Nana returned a shallow bow to the helpful man and watched him walk around the side of the large house. Mother was probably having tea in the dojo and keeping an eye on the recruits since Naoka was out. Unless things had changed drastically since her marriage, which was very possible.

Squaring her shoulders, Nana gave an absent-minded kiss to the top of her son's fluff-covered head and heading towards the large house. It was time for a long overdue family reunion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Japanese honorifics are difficult to write out in English. Also trying to work out a singular POV, which I fail at but still, an update.  
> I still have no clue where I am taking this story, and honestly, my focus is still mainly on BF and Ripples, but I will try to be better about working on this. No promises.
> 
> Hanada Koji is the epitome of a forgettable face, which works in his favor and is a large reason he is considered one of the higher ranking men in the Family.
> 
> Yes, Family. If it wasn't clear, the Tatsuda family are the heads of a Yakuza Family. This is KHR so I can make up a Gang Family if I want. And if I want Nana to actually be the daughter of a Yakuza Head, then I can do that too for 'plot' reasons.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mildly abusive family dynamic/ passive-aggressive insults, fear of disappointing family, controlling parent. Additional warning for disturbing imagery involving eyes.

Nana had no idea how this impromptu family reunion would end. Her estrangement had been her choice, eloping with a husband who her family had only met once and had shown such distrust for. No contact for almost eight years, no calls or letters, which Nana could admit was partially her fault as she had never bothered extending a hand until now.

Of course, the fact that her mother’s prediction came true would certainly not help. Nana had made the choice to leave her family behind, and thus cut her ties to the Family, because she knew that as a good wife it would be impossible to keep such a secret from her husband. Not that he seemed to share that sentiment. Mother had known that something had been off with Iemitsu, had been able to recognize something in the man that she had not approved of her youngest being tied to. And now here was Nana, lost and unable to find out what was wrong with her own child, and no husband in sight. Natsume was going to have a field day with this.

With no way to brace herself for the unexpected, Nana could only pet her son’s hair while she walked the halls of the main house towards the tea room. For all she knew, this meeting could be filled with cutting remarks and pointed bards traded like physical blows or complete rejecting silence. In the end, her family held all the power here, and could easily kick her out the second they laid eyes upon her after all these years. Unlikely, but a possibility none the less.

Stopping in front of the beautifully painted shoji door that led into the tea room, Nana briefly ran a finger over the dragon the spanned the entire wall of paper before taking a bracing breath and opening the door. Spotting not a judgmental sister or angry mother, but a serenely smiling father made her shoulders practically sag in relief.

“Father,” Nana bowed as best she could with her arms full of toddler and diaper bag. “It is wonderful to see you again.”

“Nana, my little sprout!” Her father moved to stand, arms already outstretched to receive his wiggling grandchild and a wide smile splitting his face. “Look at how you’ve grown, and with such a beautiful child. Let me see my handsome grandson."

Nana smiled at her father, the man practically the same as when she left all those years ago. His face was still sharp, even at his age, and his hair still the same delicate brown that she had inherited, if maybe streaked with more silver. Even his smile still held that sly quality that she had so admired as a child.

“Of course father, let me introduce you to Sawada Tsunayoshi. He is my first child.”

“What a handsome boy, I can see he got all his features from you then.” Syuujirou ran his fingers through the baby fine brown hair of the child as he held Tsuna. “I assume he is also the reason you finally came back home?”

“Well-“

“Of course he’s the reason she finally deigned to _bless_ us with her presence.” The whip crack of Natsume’s sarcasm was something Nana truly didn’t miss about her eldest sister. Turning to look at Natsume, Nana was not surprised at the scowl that decorated the eldest’s face, though her close cut hair was startling. Such short hair was certainly a statement.

“Now, now,” Syuujirou sat at the low table at the center of the room, little Tsunayoshi being sat next to the man. “Natsume, be a dear and put down the tea tray before picking a fight. Your mother would be very upset if you broke one of her nicer sets.”

"Yes, father."

“And Nana, come sit. You can pour out the tea and tell us all about little Tsuna here. Your mother will still be busy for some time, but we can enjoy some lovely wagashi the cook prepared for us.”

“Of course, father.”

The three adults sat around the low table, quietly sipping their tea and nibbling at the treats set out on the tray. Tsuna was happily chewing on some manju and making a mess of his overalls with all the crumbs. But even with her child to act as a distraction, Nana couldn't ignore the holes her sister was trying to burn into her with just her eyes,

“So Natsume, it has been some time-“

“And who’s fault is that?” Natsume cut off Nana, her tone as pointed as her glare. “You made it very clear that a _man_ was more important than your family, I simply assumed that also meant that I had no need to waste my time trying to contact you.”

“Don’t be like that Tsume-“

“Don’t call me that. You might have a child, but I am still the eldest.”

“Of course Natsume, I am sorry if I insulted you”

“Hmph, be glad that mother was willing to humor your request for a meeting. If I had any say then we would have ignored your call completely.”

"How cruel," Nana mumbled as she moved to wipe at Tsuna’s face.

“Now girls, unless you plan on taking this outside and settling it like you were taught then there is no need to fight.”

"Yes, father." Both daughters replied in unison, settling back into their seats.

“Good, good. Now Nana, tell us all about little Tsunayoshi here. It is about time I learned about my grandson after all.”

An hour passed, and then two. The teapot was refilled, the lovely wagashi replaced with okaki, and Tsuna fell asleep sometime in between. The child had climbed into Natsume's lap at some point and had found it to be a good a spot as any for his evening nap.

This was the first thing that Nazuna saw when she opened the shoji, along with her husband and youngest daughter happily sipping what smelled like her best chamomile blend.

Certainly, it was late enough to justify the cook brewing a pot of the calming tea, though dinner was still another hour out. Of course, the fact that it had taken so long to deal with the trainees was something that Nazuna had not been expecting. Dealing with the Jun-kosei-in was normally Naoko’s responsibility, or could at least be delegated to another officer to deal with. But Nazuna was the Boss, and she should spend some time observing the trainees; even if only to see if they were even useful to the clan as more than foot soldiers.

That was how she got stuck dealing with some cocky upstart who hadn’t realized that the oyabun was a woman, even though it was common knowledge. It was either that, or the boy had never been taught to properly fear women, either way, he was an idiot. The boy had thought that just because Nazuna was older, she would be unable to put him in his place. Challenging her to a duel had been the peak of stupidity, but it would have been shameful if she had declined, so she had spent ten minutes tossing around the fool, made sure to give him a painful slice across the face, and sent him to the infirmary.

The boy was lucky that the clan had a talented doctor within the house, even if the doctor was prone to letting painful wounds heal naturally. Doctor Lin was a good doctor but had little patience for idiots and even less patience for those who upset the boss. If the boss was happy, then he was happy, and if the boss was pissed, then it meant more work for him.

“Mother!” Nana, her sweet little girl who looked so different and yet unchanged the same, stood to greet her properly. A deep bow, something Nazuna only expected from her children in the most formal settings and certainly nothing Nana had ever needed to give her before, was held for a minute before the older woman realized her youngest was waiting to be allowed to stand straight.

“Stand tall Nana, there is to be no bowing when we are all family here.” The woman waved off her daughters protests and moved to sit next to her eldest. "Now tell me about what has scared you enough to actually call us for help. You are so stubborn that it has to involve this little one unless you have somehow changed more than I thought.”

“No, you are right.” Nana winced at the unspoken reprimand as she sat across from her mother and sister, both older women petting and cooing at a squinting Tsuna. “I cannot know for certain, but I think that something happened to change my son. Less than a year ago he was perfectly meeting all his milestones, quiet but attentive, and happy to play as all boys his age did, if a little shy around strangers. Now… now he can barely walk a straight line without tripping over his own feet, his balance is getting better but it is like he forgets where his limbs are. He had stopped speaking almost entirely, only repeating words a few times before falling silent, and when he does speak it is with a strange accent. He no longer plays with the neighborhood children, preferring to stay next to me when we go to the park and watch me read. The strangest thing though is that many of Tsuna’s like and preferences have changed. I don’t know what happened but it is like someone switched my child with a clone while I wasn’t looking!”

“Hmm, that is concerning. He looks too old for a changeling-“

“Father,” Natsume interrupted her father’s train of thought, a scowl contrasting the calculating look in her eyes. “Changelings are only a myth, this has to have a reasonable explanation-“

"What is the color of his father's eyes?" Nazuna spoke up, her gaze focused on the eyes that were staring deeply into her own with a strangely mature understanding.

“Iemitsu has the most beautiful eyes-“

“Mom asked about the color, not if they are worthy trophies to pluck from his face.”

“Trophies! His eyes are too gorgeous for mere trophies! They are the clearest shade of amber I have ever seen! They should be preserved for a museum for the world to see!”

"Amber, you say?" The Mother asked, her gaze flickering to her youngest before going back to observing Tsuna.

“Yes, like liquid honey turned into gems.” Nana sighed wistfully as she thought of her husband’s beautiful eyes. How she wished she could pluck them out and keep them by her bedside all the time.

“Hmm, when would you say the changes in little Tsunayoshi happened?” Her mother’s question pulled her from her musings.

“Oh… I would guess maybe around six, seven months ago. It was so sudden, but I didn’t even realize that there was a change until recently.”

“You failed to notice sudden personality shifts in your own child.” Natsume sounded unimpressed, to say the least.

“No! Well… not that it matters. I am here now to ask for help. I don’t know what to do, or even what caused the change.”

“I can guess, but it would be best if we can get a specialist here to verify.” Nazuna’s words cut off any potential fighting between her children. As even-tempered as Nana used to be, Natsume still seems to have the talent to push the youngest's buttons.

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense mother!”

“It seems little Tsuna has Sparked. We will have to call in a Flame specialist, as I do not recall Naoka’s own Sparking causing such distressing symptoms, but perhaps that was because she had been older.”

“But that makes no sense-“

“Exactly, that is why we will make sure a specialist sees Tsuna as soon as possible. Sparking, no matter how young, should not have caused such changes.”

“So we wait?”

“Yes. Natsume, if you could make a few calls for me tonight, I am far too tired to deal with any more surprises today and would prefer to enjoy dinner and a peaceful night doting over my grandson. Nana, you will be staying in your old room for the night. I had a maid clean it and bring out a fresh futon and linens.”

"At your command Mother." Natsume bowed in her mother's direction, before handing Tsuna over to the older woman. Standing with fluid grace, the eldest daughter bowed again towards her father and with a final side-eye in her sister's direction left the room.

“So Nana, tell me all about little Tsuna. I want to know everything there is about my first grandchild.”

“Of course mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so hear me out here, Nana's family is terrible. They protect each other and even love in their own way, but they are first and foremost criminals so there is a certain level of calculation between their interactions. Nana's family does not see their behavior as inherently abusive, because for them it is the norm, but from an outside perspective, they are kinda a terrible family unit.
> 
> I have also finally cemented the naming convention for the Tatsuda family women. The kanji 'Na'/'奈' is used in their names. Nazuna is the Oyabun of the yakuza family and the Mother to the Tatsuda clan. Natsume is the eldest daughter, Naoko is the middle daughter, and Nana is the youngest.


End file.
